Yes. Every sale camper delivery includes a run-through of all the camper's systems and operations as well as tips we've learned through the years that should help increase the ease-of-use and enjoyment of your camper; this takes about two hours.

We include a slightly more basic tutorial for rental campers. We skip certain things (like winterizing) that a rental customer won't need to know. This demonstration and inspection takes about an hour.

We also offer a free class in the spring that includes a demonstration of a camper's basic operation and a discussion concerning various features of pop-up campers. This class is intended to help those who may be interested in pop-up camping but may not know what all is involved with pop-up camping. Details on this class available at Pop-Up Trailer 101.

Sort of. If you rent a camper from us and decide you want to buy one of our campers we will apply part of the rent to the purchase price (even if the sale trailer is a different model from the rental trailer).

Two notes: 1. This offer applies for 30 days from the date your rental camper is returned. 2. A maximum of $300 of a rental from Roberts Sales can be applied to the purchase of a Roberts Sales trailer.

We asked Flagstaff to build the 176 so we could offer an alternative 8' floor plan to the 176LTD. Flagstaff special-built the 176 for us but since it's not officially part of Flagstaff's lineup it is absent from the official factory brochure.

The last factory brochure with 176 information is the 2010 Brochure (pdf) under the name "176ED".

We asked Flagstaff to build the 825D so we could offer a Classic model with four large beds but no interior shower/cassette toilet. Flagstaff special-built the 825D for us but since it's not officially part of Flagstaff's lineup it is absent from the official factory brochure.

The 206LT is a designation used only by Roberts Sales for the 206LTDs we upgrade at our store. It has some features of the LTD series and some features of the MAC series. So it is essentially a series unto itself. The 206LT model page has a more detailed explanation.

Sales

-What does "EM" stand for in the model description, as in "em 2016"? (Back)

EM stands for "early model" and indicates a camper that was built with the previous year's specifications and color scheme but then titled as the next year's model year. The long-winded but more informative answer is here: Early Model Explanation.

Hot water systems (incl. exterior shower) are available separately for the 208, 207SE, and 206STSE. We also carry portable toilets for use with any camper. Hot water and portable toilets are listed under Options.

One camper has an 8 1/2' "toy hauler" storage deck on the front of the trailer and comes with loading ramps: 28TSCSE (This is a double-axle trailer.)

Two campers have a 4 1/2' "toy hauler" storage deck on the front
of the trailer and come with loading ramps: 23SCSE and T12RBTHSE. (These are single-axle trailers.)

Three trailers have a 2' "bike hauler" storage deck on the front. The bike-hauler deck does not have loading ramps like the toy-hauler decks because the assumption is that bicycles (and toolboxes, generators, firewood--anything else that will be loaded onto the front deck) can be loaded by hand. The bike hauler campers include: 228BHSE, 228BHSE with shower, T12BH.

New Campers - The best time to buy is in the spring when we have the largest selection of new models on hand for the Colorado, RV, Sports, Boat, & Travel Show. This is also the best time of the year for special orders on campers we may not regularly stock.

Current model year campers still in stock by July or August are typically put on clearance. If we have the model you are interested in that's a great time to get an excellent deal on a new camper.

Used Campers - The youngest ("newest") used campers can be found in late August when all of our rental fleet (including campers that may have only been used once or twice) goes on sale in our annual End Of Summer Clearance Sale.

Just let us know what camper you are interested in and we'll check to see if we have one on the way. If not, you can place an order and we will make sure it gets on the next load of trailers from the factory. On average the wait time for a load of trailers is 34 days*.

(*The 34 day wait may vary, depending on the time of year; if ordering a trailer late in the year there may a delay in placing the order; also the wait figure is an average, not a guarantee of when a camper will arrive. The best time of year for ordering a camper is between January and April 1st.)

-You have a lot of used trailers for sale--do you have that many trade-ins? (Back)

No, almost all of our used campers come from our rental program. We rent our campers for one or two seasons and then offer them for sale here: Used Sales.

Sorry, but no. Rather than inflate our prices in anticipation of haggling to a lower price we simply set our prices as low as they can be from the start. This assures a good deal for everybody and not just those who excel at negotiation.

We understand haggling is a commonly accepted practice in our industry but we believe it is harmful to the relationship we seek to build with our customers. A detailed explanation of our opinion on haggling can be found here: Why We Don't Haggle.

Technical Specifications

Yes, 4-cylinder cars and trucks have pulled 8' campers (176LTD & 176) and the lightest 10' camper (206LTD) but they probably weren't the fastest ones up the mountain. Please call if you would like to test drive (test pull) a camper to see how your vehicle handles the load. Here is a more detailed article on weight: Weighting Is The Hardest Part.

Starting in 2010 all Flagstaff campers (except the LTD series) come standard with electric brakes from the factory. Factory-installed brakes are an option for the LTD Series and Roberts Sales can add brakes to the LTD campers at our store. (Options: brakes)

Flagstaff tent campers use a one-piece Fiberglass vacuum-bonded radius roof with no center seam. Steel air conditioner reinforcing is laminated into the roof (so no bars are visible on the ceiling interior).

We are. It's written right on the tag of every furnace installed in Flagstaff and Rockwood pop-ups since 2008 that the input is 19,000BTU.

Suburban (the furnace's manufacturer) doesn't help the issue with their numbering system. Here's the lineup of Suburban RV furnaces and their BTU input:

Notice the problem? Suburban gives their 19,000 BTU furnace a "20" in the model number while all other model numbers reflect the actual BTU input; that's rather confusing. Also, Forest River uses some of the larger furnaces (30K, 34K, 40K) in their travel trailers and motor homes so they are accustomed to a numbering system that follows a certain pattern. We mentioned this problem to Forest River years ago but the brochure still says "20,000 BTU furnace"--bummer.

Sometimes dealerships will advertise a 20,000 BTU furnace in their Flagstaffs/Rockwoods. We've been asked before why ours are only 19,000 BTU. Well, unless a dealership installed an aftermarket furnace with an actual input of 20,000 BTU they are most likely talking about the same 19,000 BTU furnace Forest River calls a "20,000 BTU" furnace and have been installing in their campers for years now.

"Group 27" refers to the physical size and the amp-hour rating of the battery.

The factory uses a Group 24 battery with a capacity of approximately 90 amp-hours (one LED ceiling light on for one hour draws ~1/2 "amp hour"; the heater draws 2.5 amps). We upgrade to a Group 27 battery at our shop; it is physically bigger than the Group 24 battery and has a capacity of approximately 105 amp-hours (~6 more hours of heater use, for example).

The most useful measurement is box size. Box size describes the length of a camper's interior living space as determined by the box that constitutes the camper's body. A more detailed explanation of camper sizes is here: Camper Size Explanation

-The brochure says "Sleeps 8"--there's no way eight people will fit; what is Flagstaff thinking? (Back)

The factory sets the "sleeps __" number based on the number of beds in the camper, not necessarily on the size of each bed in the camper. For example, a 70" x 80" bed is considered to sleep two people even though it could hold three or four children. A 36" x 64" dinette that converts into a bed is considered to also sleep two people even though it could barely fit one small adult.

High Wall means the camper's sidewall is physically higher than other campers' sidewalls. For example, a MAC camper's sidewall (or main body) is 24" high while a High Wall tent camper's sidewall is 36" high. With the higher sidewall/taller box, the High Wall is able to have higher counter-tops, more support for a camper's seat-back cushions, a hard shell around the toilet/shower area, and a larger fridge.

The T-Series High Wall campers have 35" high sidewalls (standard low-wall T-series sidewalls are 30")--that means a larger fridge, higher counter-tops, and more head-room which may be helpful in an a-frame camper.

Rentals

No, sorry, we don't have online reservations. The main reason is that questions may come up when making a reservation that need an immediate answer in order to complete the reservation and talking to a real person is still the best way to accomplish this. (The upside to inconveniencing you with a phone call is that we answer the phones ourselves--you don't have to push extra buttons or talk to a machine to get to a real person.)

-Can I pick-up the rental in the morning instead of the afternoon? (Back)

Of course. If a morning pickup is better for your schedule than the typical afternoon appointments we can usually accommodate that. Keep in mind your rent will start that morning (as opposed to starting the next morning for afternoon appointments).

If you need a morning appointment please let us know that when making your reservation.

The following items are not included: pots, pans, bedding, plates/cups, cutlery, firewood, matches. For a detailed list of items to consider bringing on a camping trip please see: Recommended Supplies.

Because not everybody needs a battery. If a campsite has power a battery would only add unnecessary weight to someone's trip (53 lbs.!) Also, if someone wanted to bring a generator or their own battery they would end up paying for a battery they don't need.

No, sorry. The closest we have is the rental 228, with a water heater and exterior shower fixture, but no enclosure. Portable toilets are available to buy (and then you'll have one for any future camping trips).

Yes, we give an hour-long orientation/training course when you pick up the rental camper. We also provide a reminder card with instructions and troubleshooting tips (this card is located in the front door-side storage compartment). The set-up instructions are also available online here: Camper Set-up. Also available online is Troubleshooting and Tips & Ticks.

-Why do I have to call in the morning of my pick-up day for a hook-up time? Why can't I set the hook-up time when I make the reservation? (Back)

We do not set hook-up times before the pick-up day because, simply, plans change. We tried setting times when making a reservation before and almost every customer who asked for a certain time needed to change their time on the actual pick-up day.
Also, we don't know how many campers are going on a given day until that day arrives. Some guests reserve campers months in advance, some make a reservation only a few days in advance. We may not know how many people are going on a particular day until that day.

To avoid these problems we only set hook-up times on the actual pick-up day when we know what our schedule is like and our guests will know what their schedule is for sure. Calling first thing in the morning also assures everybody an equal chance at receiving their preferred hook-up time.

One exception to the rule involves picking up the camper in the morning. If someone wants to pick up a camper in the morning we can set that time (either 8, 9, or 10am) when the reservation is made. In this case, though, the rental period starts the day the camper is picked up. By contrast, if a camper is picked up in the afternoon the rental period doesn't start until the next day; that afternoon is essentially free.

-If I call right at 7:30 can I get the 1 o'clock hook-up time (or whatever time I want)? (Back)

Not necessarily. It's true our afternoon hook-up times are normally 1, 2, 3, and 4pm, but suppose we have a sale trailer going at 1pm on a given day, then the rental appointments for that day would start at 2pm. Or, suppose a rental camper is not due back until 4pm on a certain day, setting a hook-up time for 1pm that day would be futile because the customer would have to wait for three hours until their camper arrives.

When reserving a camper we will clarify if you want to pick up the camper in the morning or afternoon. If you pick up the camper in the morning your rent starts that day. If you pick up the camper in the afternoon your rent starts the next day; there is no charge for that afternoon.

Since that afternoon is free the hook-up times are assigned based on our schedule. If you absolutely must have a specific hook-up time ("I want to get out of town before rush hour so I must have the 1 o'clock slot.") we suggest having your rent start that day such that you can schedule the pick-up appointment ahead of time (you would also have your pick of the morning and afternoon time slots: 8am, 9am, 10am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm).

-Why have appointments at all? Why not hook-up people on a first-come, first-served basis? (Back)

It takes about an hour to demonstrate how a rental camper operates, inspect the camper for possible damage, and then hook-up the camper to a customer's tow vehicle. Suppose we have ten rentals going out one day. Nine people show up at 7:30am and you show up at 7:35am. In theory you may have to wait nine hours before being served and then another hour to go through your rental camper.
Not good. Our appointment system is the best way to ensure that our customers can pick up their camper and be back on the road, usually within a one-hour window (not ten hours!)

-On the Rental Availability page, how is this possible (only one day booked-up) when you rent campers by the week (during the summer)? (Back)

The chart above shows whether a rental model is available or booked-up but it doesn't show the quantity of each model in our rental fleet. The chart below shows a section of the reservation board during the booked-up time period:

Notice the 21st is the only day that's booked-up, hence the single red block on the 21st of the availability chart; the 20th, 22nd, and 23rd have one or two campers available for that time period (so they are yellow in the availability chart). The remaining dates have at least three campers available so they're in the green.

In most cases, yes. We order all of our campers with a 3-way refrigerator but we can special order an ice box for you if you prefer. Please be aware there is little-to-no savings to do this since refrigerators are now the norm; ice boxes are considered a special order item.

No, we do not install roof racks on the T-series campers. We are aware this has been done (elsewhere) before but we do not recommend it.* For bikes, we offer a rear receiver that accommodates a hitch-mounted bike rack. For boats or canoes, we suggest mounting a rack on the tow vehicle.

*In 2017 Flagstaff started installing ProRac roof racks on their T-series campers using a bracket to mount the rack to the roof side-wall. In 2018 they added ProRac roof racks to all T-series campers except the dormer units. We still don't recommend a rack on the T-series roof due to increased scratches likely to occur from the extra weight of bikes or other roof-mounted accessories, but ProRac roof racks are available on our Options page.

Almost all Flagstaff camping trailer mattresses have 110V heated tops with adjustable controls--the two exceptions are the T21TBHW and T21TBHWSE; they have no heated mattress. Note: all dinette tables and gaucho/sofas that fold into beds are not heated.

Yes, here's the Innerspring mattress option but you end up paying a LOT to freight the mattress from Indiana to Colorado. Alternatively, consider checking local custom mattress companies and see if a custom-sized mattress would be more economical.

A less-expensive alternative: consider using a foam pad under the foam mattress (or a memory foam pad on top of the mattress) from stores like Target or a club warehouse.

Maintenance

Pop-up maintenance is relatively simple: pack the bearings in the spring, winterize the water system in the fall. Check the caulking (at roof and body panel joints) at least once a year. After a trip let the canvas air out for half a day or so. That's about it.

If traveling on rough roads, extra maintenance (like tightening screws that may have come loose from cabinet hinges) may also be necessary. It never hurts to have a basic tool kit with the camper (and oftentimes it helps to drive a bit slower on washboard roads).

The few canvas sections of a Flagstaff tent already has water-proofing on it. The majority of the tent is vinyl and does not need water-proofing. In fact, some aftermarket water-proofing agents turn the tent yellow and may "dry out" the vinyl. We recommend against treating the tent with anything besides soap and water.

We started renting and selling Starcraft campers in 1969 as Southwest Rentals. In 1978 we divided the two areas of Southwest Rentals (tool and construction equipment rentals and camping trailers) into two companies. Southwest Rentals remained our tool and equipment rental company and Roberts Sales focused on camping trailer sales and rentals.

Our literature says "Since 1969" because that's when our family started renting and selling pop-ups even though the entity "Roberts Sales" was created in 1978.

Lastly, the folks at Flagstaff's camping trailer division are great to work with; even though Forest River is a large corporation owned by Berkshire Hathaway the Flagstaff/Rockwood pop-up camper factory itself runs like a family business, just like us.

The first Flagstaff campers were built in 1988 and sold as 1989 models by a company named Cobra. Forest River bought Flagstaff/Rockwood in 1996.

-Flagstaff campers look a lot like Rockwood campers--are they built by the same people? (Back)

Yes, in the same factory with the same parts even. Forest River uses different colors in the tent, linoleum floor, fabrics, and countertops to differentiate the two lines but the floorplans and features are the same for the two brands. For every Flagstaff model there will be a corresponding Rockwood model with the same floorplan (the model number will be slightly different, though). Details here: Flagstaff vs. Rockwood

Sorry, we don't. Frankly we don't have the space on our small lot to carry travel trailers. Focusing on fold-down trailers allows us to specialize in that area and provide our guests with the best possible experience when looking for a pop-up.

Forest River seems to own most pop-up trailer brands--what's up with that?(Back)

Forest River's first pop-up brands were Flagstaff and Rockwood (since 1996)--they have shared the same manufacturing facility and design team since their inception.

Over ten years later Forest River acquired Palomino and Coachmen (including Clipper and Viking). These various brands share some items (like certain parts that benefit from commonality) while other aspects (like manufacturing facilities, floorplans/models, color schemes) remain distinct.

Web Site

Flagstaff provides professional pictures for only three or four models each year. Those are nice, but we try to add pictures for the other models whenever possible.
The brochure section of our web site includes all models Flagstaff builds but we do not stock every model every year. In some cases the last time we took pictures of a particular model could have been several years ago. The color scheme of the fabric or certain other materials and some small details may be out of date, but the general layout and size of the model depicted in the photograph will be accurate. Even if the pictures do not detail the current model year, we hope the pictures--even old ones--provide a better understanding of a particular model than no pictures at all.